1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a storage container for liquids, in particular, flammable liquids such as fuel oil, used oil, lubricating oil, and diesel fuel, the container comprising an inner container to be filled with the liquid and made of plastic material and a receptacle made of plastic material in which the inner container is received for leak-proofing the inner container, wherein an intermediate space is formed between the inner container and the receptacle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Storage containers of this kind, as they are known from European patent 0 901 972 B1, are used primarily for storing fuel oil in buildings. Because of the configuration of the storage container comprising a collecting receptacle for leak-proofing the inner container, it is no longer necessary to build a protective wall at the site where the storage container is to be set up or to provide a separate collecting container. In the known storage container, the upper edge of the tub-shaped receptacle is located at the level of the fill socket, the removal socket, and the venting socket of the inner container, and the receptacle is connected with its upper edge to the inner container for providing a gas-tight enclosure of the intermediate space between the receptacle and the inner container. For increasing the shape stability and the static load capacity, the sidewalls of the inner container and of the receptacle are provided across the entire container height with groove-shaped peripheral recesses.
The construction of such known storage containers is relatively complex, and the manufacture of the container is accordingly expensive. A further disadvantage of the storage container resides in that the transport to the respective set-up location is cumbersome.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a storage container for liquids of the aforementioned kind such that is characterized by a simple construction, an inexpensive manufacture, and excellent transportability.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the inner container of the storage container, which is formed as a sectioned container, is comprised of at least two container parts which container parts are formed as a monolithic part by blow molding and are connected with one another by a groove-shaped vertical recess extending in the sidewalls, the bottom, and the top of the inner container, wherein the receptacle has an insertion opening for the inner container, wherein the inner container projects with the top portions of the two container parts through the insertion opening of the receptacle in the upward direction away from the receptacle, wherein the sidewalls and the receptacle bottom of the receptacle have a groove-shaped vertical recess which is matched to the recess of the sidewalls and the container bottom of the inner container, and wherein the storage container is reinforced by a peripheral vertical strap which engages the vertical recesses of the inner container and of the receptacle.
The storage container according to the invention is characterized by a simple configuration, low manufacturing costs, low weight, a minimal space requirement as a result of the compact shaping, a high safety as a result of the receptacle provided for liquid which may leak from the inner container, the use of a shape-integrated steel pipe strap for increasing the shape stability, an excellent long-term stability, an absolute corrosion resistance and freedom of maintenance because of blow molding of the inner container and of the receptacle of high-pressure process polyethylene, and excellent transportability by optionally furnishing the storage container with a steel pipe pallet or a transport and storage frame.